The Marty Supreme phenomenon had spread long before the movie even had a chance to play in the theaters. The promotion of this movie has been embedded in our everyday world that people can not escape it, and want to know if all of this hype is real. Friends, I am here to tell you that the hype is real and Marty Supreme is legit. Let’s break it down.

Last year, Timothée Chalamet said in a speech that he wants to be the best. While many saw this speech as being bold and bragadoccio, he was planting his flag on what the following year was to bring. The character of Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme is just that: Bold, confident, and even cocky at times. There will be people who won’t relate to this character, but it is a mindset that many people have nowadays to succeed in their lives.

Marty Supreme takes place in the 1950s. Marty is a table tennis player who hustles other players for money. He, along with his friend, Wally (Tyler the Creator), works together on pulling hustles on people that at times lead to disastrous results. Throughout the movie, we are introduced to various people in Marty’s life who are either helping him to be the best or using their relationships to hinder his progress. The relationship with his mother, Rebecca, Fran Drescher, is at times tough to watch because you can see his love for her, but also his disdain for her. The need to leave the nest and do better is what makes their relationship poignant to Marty’s story.

In terms of relationships, Marty is dealing with two women who he sees as a way out and a way that won’t lead to anything. In Rachel, Odessa A’zion, Marty has known her since they were kids and sees her as someone he can always come back to, but he feels that there will be no real life for him if he stays with her. In Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, Kay, Marty sees a challenge and a possible way for him to leave the life that he lives. Marty learns about himself from both relationships, and in the course of the movie, it changes his perspective on things.

The true meat of the movie is the table tennis matches. In these scenes, the screen is filled with tension, giving you a new perspective on the sport itself. From the lighting to the angles and the use of sound, Josh Safdie puts you in the thick of it, and you can’t help but lean forward during these scenes. While the movie is not as anxiety-inducing as Uncut Gems or Good Time, the feeling of the hammer falling on Marty looms in the air, and you are just watching to see if he will make it to the next scene.

Although the movie is set in the 1950s, the use of music ranges from classic, music of that time, and even 80s hits like Forever Young by Alphaville. This range in music helps to build tension in some scenes and release in others.

We were lucky to meet Josh Safdie at a local screening, and I asked him if he would ever make a kids’ movie. Something that his kids could watch one day. He replied that “only time would tell” and that when he was young, he watched some “fucked up movies” like Fire in the Sky and Kramer vs Kramer at a young age. Who knows what the future will bring for Josh, but Marty Supreme will bring him lots of recognition come award season.

Final Thoughts: Marty Supreme is a fast, quick-paced, anxiety-inducing film that takes you on a journey with Marty Mauser. The entire cast is fantastic and elevates the movie as something more than a story about a table tennis player. This movie will cement that Timothée Chalamet will be one of the greatest actors of his time. This movie will not only make you feel stressed but will also make you feel good by the end.

Violence: There are some stressful moments in the film due to the moments where Marty and Wally are hustling people while playing table tennis. There are some fist fights, some gunplay during the course of the movie.

Kid-Friendly: The movie does have a few sex scenes that are not too graphic but hint at adult themes. There is a lot of cursing in the movie and an up-close shot of Marty’s bare behind. 

Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.